Maryland is such a Blue State these days that the results of races for office are nearly always a foregone conclusion. 2012 is no exception. However, this year Marylanders do get to vote on an array of controversial ballot questions as to which the outcome is in doubt.

These issues included same-sex marriage (Question 6), a Dream Act (Question 4), gambling expansion (Question 7), and congressional redistricting (Question 5). The first two questions have been debated nationally for years, and I’m sure our Maryland readers need no counsel from me on them. However, I do want to say a few words and the gambling and redistricting questions. In this post, I’ll discuss redistricting.

Maryland Democrats, led by our awful governor Martin O’Malley, who fancies himself a presidential contender in four years, have drawn congressional districts that, in the words of the liberal Washington Post, “qualify as the most outrageously gerrymandered among the 50 states.” Several of these districts, the Post correctly says, “dice and splice counties, communities, and neighborhoods all in service to the Democrats’ goal of addnig a seventh seat to the six [of eight] they already control.”

Fortunately, Republicans managed to force the Dems to seek ratification of their anti-democratic scheme from the voters. A “yes” on Question 5 would provide such ratification. I urge our Maryland voters to vote “no,” in order to force O’Malley and company back to the drawing board.